SHA767 - Using Financial Statements for Decision Making

Course Description

If you want to understand a hotel property fully, you need to read and analyze three critical financial statements: its operating statement, its balance sheet, and its cash flow statement. These statements will answer key questions, including: In what ways is this property performing well or underperforming?

Using provided data for a sample property, you will practice reading and interpreting financial statements to assess areas of strength and weakness, then you'll apply that understanding to critical higher-level decisions from different perspectives. What improvements would you make to this property if you were the owner? What improvements would you want to make to this property if you were the GM, who typically doesn't see the balance sheet? How about as an asset manager? These three people will see things differently, so how and what they advocate will differ. You want to be in the position to review the financials from all points of view and make the most informed decisions you can.

You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

• Examining the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI)
• Benchmarking Hotel Performance

Faculty Author

Benefits to the Learner

• Examine a balance sheet and identify areas of strength and weakness in the firm
• Examine a cash flow statement and identify the firm's sources and uses of cash
• Practice reading and interpreting financial statements to assess areas of strength and weakness in the firm

Target Audience

• Hotel owners
• Hotel general managers and directors
• Hotel managers and department heads
• Hotel employees using financial information for decision making
• Accounting professionals seeking to move into the hotel industry

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Hospitality Accounting : Core Courses